Rig Veda 4.10.1: Mandala 4, Sukta 10, Mantra 1
Sukta 4.10
- Devata
- Agni
- Rasa
- Vira (heroism) and Adbhuta (wonder)
अग्ने तमद्याश्वं न स्तोमैः क्रतुं न भद्रं हृदिस्पृशम् । ऋध्यामा त ओहैः ॥
agné tám adyā́śvaṃ na stómaiḥ krátum na bhadráṃ hṛdi-spṛ́śam | ṛdhyā́mā te óhaiḥ ||
يا أَغْنِي، اليَوْمَ بِتَسْبِيحَاتِنَا نَرْجُو أَنْ نَفُوزَ بِذَلِكَ—كَجَوَادٍ سَرِيعٍ—بِإِرَادَتِكَ الصَّالِحَةِ الْمُشِعَّةِ، الْمُلَامِسَةِ لِلْقَلْبِ؛ فَلْنَزْدَدْ بِدَوَافِعِكَ وَقُوَاكَ.
Word by Word
- अग्ने
- O AgniNounपुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचनRole सम्बोधनRoot अग्नि- (प्रातिपदिक)
- तम्
- him/that (one)Pronounपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole कर्मRoot तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- अद्य
- today/nowIndeclinableकालवाचक अव्ययRole अधिकारण (काल)Root अद्य (अव्यय)
- अश्वम्
- a horseNounपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole कर्म (उपमान-रूपेण)Root अश्व- (प्रातिपदिक)
- न
- like/asIndeclinableउपमावाचक अव्ययRoot न (अव्यय)
- स्तोमैः
- with praises/hymnsNounपुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचनRole करणRoot स्तोम- (प्रातिपदिक)
- क्रतुम्
- (his) resolve/ritual powerNounपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole कर्म (उपमान-रूपेण)Root क्रतु- (प्रातिपदिक)
- न
- like/asIndeclinableउपमावाचक अव्ययRoot न (अव्यय)
- भद्रम्
- auspicious/goodAdjectiveनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन (क्रतुं विशेषयति)Role कर्म (विशेषण)Root भद्र- (प्रातिपदिक)
- हृदिस्पृशम्
- touching the heart/heart-reachingAdjective (participle)पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन (तम् विशेषयति); वर्तमानकाले कृदन्त (स्पृश्-धातोः)Role कर्म (विशेषण)Root हृदि- (अव्यय/सप्तमी-रूप) + स्पृश् (धातु) → हृदिस्पृश् (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
- ऋध्याम
- may we prosper/succeedVerbलोट् (आशीर्लिङ्/विधिलिङ्-प्रायः वैदिके), उत्तमपुरुष, बहुवचन; परस्मैपदRoot ऋध् (धातु; ‘समृद्धौ/सिद्धौ’)
- त
- for you/to youPronounचतुर्थी (सम्प्रदान), एकवचनRole सम्प्रदानRoot त्वद्/युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) → ते/त (वैदिक रूप)
- ओहैः
- with (your) aids/helps/powersNounपुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचनRole करणRoot ओह- (प्रातिपदिक; ‘सहाय/बल/उपाय’)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेद (सम्भाव्य): अग्ने | तम् | अद्य | अश्वम् | न | स्तोमैः | क्रतुम् | न | भद्रम् | हृदिस्पृशम् | ऋध्याम | ते | ओहैः । 1) ‘अद्याश्वं’ = ‘अद्य’ + ‘अश्वम्’ (अ + अ → आ). 2) ‘स्तोमैः’ इत्यत्र विसर्ग/प्रगृह्य-चिह्न पाठभेदानुसार
- पदरूपे ‘स्तोमैः’ (तृतीया बहु). 3) ‘हृदिस्पृशम्’ समास/कृदन्त: ‘हृदि’ + ‘स्पृश्’ (हृदय-स्पर्शी). 4) ‘त॒ ओहैः’ = ‘ते’ (चतुर्थी एक) + ‘ओहैः’ (तृतीया बहु)
- संहितायां ‘ते’ का वैदिक संक्षेप ‘त’ भी मिलता है।
The meaning
Outer meaning
Agni is praised: by hymns the singers seek to prosper in his “good will/resolve” that is swift like a horse and touches the heart; they ask to grow by his impulses/energies.
Inner meaning
Agni here is the luminous kratu—divine will-intelligence—swift as vital force (aśva) yet beneficent and heart-touching (hṛdi-spṛś). Through mantra (stoma), the seeker aligns with this inner Will so that progress becomes rapid, joyful, and intimate, not forced. ‘Ohāḥ’ are Agni’s driving impulsions—waves of energy that push the nature beyond inertia.
Universal truth
True effectiveness comes when action is powered by an illumined will that is both swift and good—energetic yet guided by the heart’s truth. Mantra and aspiration can tune the human will to that higher will.
Themes
awakening will, swift progress, heart-contact
The seer
- Rishi
- Vāmadeva Gautama (traditional for RV 4.10)
- Lineage
- Gautama
- Other hymns
- RV 4.1 (Agni invoked as priest and force), RV 4.26–4.27 (Vāmadeva’s visionary identity themes), RV 4.58 (mystic speech and honey/waters imagery)
Family tradition
Gautama/Vāmadeva hymns emphasize the inner ascent through Agni and Indra, the recovery of light, and the harmonizing of powers (anīkāni) into an integral action.
Significance
Vāmadeva is emblematic of the seer who discovers the divine in the human and speaks from widened consciousness; his Agni is not mere flame but the psychic-mental leader enabling swift yet true action.
The deity
- Devata
- Agni
- Epithets
- Hṛdispṛś (heart-touching), Bhadra-kratu (good will), Aśva-vat (swift like a steed)
- Related deities
- Indra (illumination that supports Agni’s action), Sarasvatī (inspired speech supporting stoma), Soma (bliss that seals the work)
Cosmic role
Executor of the gods’ work; awakener of aspiration; transformer of offerings into spiritual gain.
Inner power
Illumined will in the heart that converts aspiration into effective movement; energizer (tapas) that remains aligned with truth.
In ritual
Where it is used
Agni-stotra within Soma and non-Soma contexts; general kindling hymn
अग्ने॒ तम॒द्याश्वं॒ न स्तोमै॒: क्रतुं॒ न भ॒द्रं हृ॑दि॒स्पृश॑म् । ऋ॒ध्यामा॑ त॒ ओहै॑: ॥
अग्ने॑ । तम् । अ॒द्य । अश्व॑म् । न । स्तोमैः॑ । क्रतु॑म् । न । भ॒द्रम् । हृ॒दि॒ऽस्पृश॑म् । ऋ॒ध्याम॑ । ते॒ । ओहैः॑ ॥
agne | tam | adya | aśvam | na | stomaiḥ | kratum | na | bhadram | hṛdi-spṛśam | ṛdhyāma | te | ohaiḥ
Triṣṭubh (probable for RV 4.10; this verse fits the triṣṭubh movement though a full syllable audit is required)
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4 pādas × ~11 syllables (triṣṭubh norm), though transmitted here as a continuous line; recensional division may vary.
Forward-driving, ‘horse-like’ cadence; strong stresses on agne / kratum / hṛdi-spṛśam / ohaiḥ.
Energizes the will and clears hesitation; produces a felt ‘push’ toward right action while keeping the heart engaged.
- अश्व (aśva)
- Literal: horse. Symbolic: vital energy and speed of execution when yoked to the divine will
- स्तोम (stoma)
- Literal: hymns of praise. Symbolic: mantric formulation that shapes consciousness and calls down power
- क्रतु (kratu)
- Literal: will, resolve, intelligence of action. Symbolic: Agni’s luminous executive consciousness (will + discernment)
- भद्र (bhadra)
- Literal: good, auspicious. Symbolic: beneficent force—power that increases harmony and truth
- हृदिस्पृश (hṛdi-spṛś)
- Literal: touching the heart. Symbolic: inner confirmation: the will that resonates with the psychic being
- ओह (ohaḥ)
- Literal: impulsion, driving force. Symbolic: surges of tapas-energy that propel transformation
Stotra-driven strengthening: hymnic intensification to awaken Agni’s kratu and hasten progress (aśva imagery); suitable for kindling and praise sections of Agni rites.
At kindling/strengthening of fire; also at the inner ‘start of work’ moment
Praise to awaken Agni’s kratu; offering of speech (stoma) as oblation
Chant before focused work or sadhana to align speed with goodness—‘swift but true’ action.
aśva ‘horse’ from PIE *h₁éḱwos (Lat. equus, Av. aspa) → symbol of force and progress. kratu from √kṛ ‘do’ with -tu abstraction → effective will/resolve (not mere thought). hṛd from PIE *ḱḗr(d)- ‘heart’ (Lat. cor). spṛś from √spṛś ‘touch’ (PIE *(s)per- ‘touch’). ṛdhyāma from √ṛdh ‘to prosper, grow’.
kratu (intelligent will), growth/prosperity (ṛdh) as inner increase
Kratu becomes effective when aligned with ṛta; the ‘straight’ movement of force is implied in prospering (ṛdhyāma).
Heart-touching will indicates satya’s seal—inner assent of the psychic being.
Agni as evolutionary engine: will becomes luminous and climbs from human to divine execution.
Integral Vedic psychology: kratu as executive consciousness; mantra as a means of tuning the inner instrument.
Horse = prāṇic dynamism; Fire = will/aspiration; Hymn = shaping vibration of consciousness.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The ‘horse of the god’ as inner propulsion: Agni’s power is figured as a swift steed and as kratu (effective will). Mythically, the divine force carries the sacrificer forward; psychologically, awakened will touches the heart and drives growth.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- aśva is a classic PIE inheritance (*h₁éḱwos), and hṛd continues *ḱḗr(d)-. The verse thus preserves archaic IE body-and-vehicle imagery: heart as center of being; horse as force of advance.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The Rishi uses stoma (hymnic force) to ‘prosper in’ Agni’s kratu—suggesting that praise is not flattery but a technique to awaken divine energy in the human. Agni reciprocates through ohas (impulsions), enabling inner increase (ṛdh).
Invoke the ‘good will’ that touches the heart; act from that center.
anahata
inhale on “agne”; exhale on “hṛdispṛśam”; feel warmth in the chest
Dynamic quietude—energized steadiness
Chant 12 times, then choose one action for the day and offer it inwardly to Agni; begin immediately while keeping awareness in the heart.
Chant with saṃhitā svara; keep clear rise on udātta syllables, especially around ‘agne’ and key nouns (kratu, ohaiḥ) as marked in your text.
Do not rush ‘hṛdi-spṛśam’; let it be the soft center. Make ‘ohaiḥ’ a decisive finish.
hṛdi-spṛśam: retroflex ‘ṣ’ in spṛśam; vocalic ‘ṛ’ short and clear, stomaiḥ: diphthong ‘ai’ clean; visarga ‘ḥ’ light, ṛdhyāmā: initial vocalic ‘ṛ’ articulated without adding ‘i’
bright, forward, heart-warm
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